I'm sure you have heard the expression I am so
deep into trouble it looks like no way out, or what about this
one, I am so deep into debt, there is no way out. I am so
deeply distraught and confused. Deep, I am talking about deep!
Webster's dictionary defines deep as extending far downward,
extremely grave or serious. Have you ever been there? When you
are over your head, and it seems like there is no way of escape,
then you have an opportunity for deep to call unto DEEP. The one
who is deeper than any depth you will ever experience. He alone
is able to conquer your deep and bring you out!
Much of the time when those deep times come in our lives,
and they indeed will, (Job14:1). We are drawn to natural
reasoning and in our minds and our emotions we say there
is No Way. Wrong thinking equals wrong actions. When a person
walks in the flesh, he only believes what he sees. When a
person walks in the Spirit of God, he sees what he believes
from God's Word. When we begin seeing what we believe from
God's Word, then He is able to do exceedingly great and
wonderful things in our lives. Walking in the flesh, and
only believing what you see has no profit. Jeremiah 17:5
says; Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts
in man; And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs
from the LORD". To only believe what you see
prohibits you from profiting from Gods Word.
Being in the deep is not a bad place to be. It gives you
an incredible opportunity to be a witness to DEEP, (Almighty
God) moving in your midst. Many of us would not have become
intimate with God had it not been for those deep times in
our lives. In June of 1992, I was experiencing a deep crisis
in my life, a double deep. My home was completely destroyed
by fire, and then 10 days later my husband took his life.
This is deep stuff. How do you come out of that kind of deep?
For several months, a year to be exact, I stayed there in that
deep. On the outside it seemed as if I was A OK. I worked; I
made important critical decisions on my job. I consumed myself
with busyness. All this time, my deep was pulling me farther
down. I developed some un-Godly relationships in my deep. I
stuffed and stuffed all my emotions inside. No amount of
being busy, no type of escapism, no amount of denial, will get
you out of the deep. Finally when I came to the realization,
I am in deep distress, there is no way out through me, or by
others, or by other things. I am hopeless. I will die here
defeated if God does not help me out, and set me in a safe
place. I cried out to God. Deep was calling unto DEEP. I said
"God there is nothing left of me but dust particles, but
if You will, You can blow upon my life for Your Glory. I give
You no Glory like I am. Please do, otherwise, please take me.
I no longer want to merely exist and bring dishonor to Your
Name." God heard my cry of desperation. He did bring
me out. He set me in a safe place. He moved me to YWAM
Nashville, an International Inter- Denominational Christian
Mission.
I was there for several years. He protected me, nurtured
me, taught me, healed me, delivered me, and took me on a
journey with Him that I cherish with all of my heart. He
became my Husband. I gave Him myself completely to do with
me as He so desired, and position me as He pleased and wherever
He pleased. My life was no longer mine. Five years later, He
positioned me with Rocky Fondren; my husband. He called us to
be together as one, and to disciple men who are in deep distress.
Men who are hopeless and there seems to be no way out.
When you have been in the deep yourself, and God who is
deeper moves you out, you do not forget. Your gratefulness
is revealed by telling others about He who can also bring
them out. Then and only then do you serve Him out of love
for Him and not desperation. George Matheson, the well known
blind preacher of Scotland once said, "My Dear God, I
have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a
thousand times for my Roses, but not once for my thorns. I
have always looked forward to the place where I will be
rewarded for my cross, but I have never thought of my cross
as a present Glory itself. Teach me O Lord to glory in my
cross. Teach me the value of my thorns. Show me how I have
climbed to You through the path of pain. Show me it is
through my tears I have seen my rainbows."
I do not know what you are facing today, but there is one
who does, and He is DEEPER, and can overcome anything you
encounter.
I remember the movie "The Hiding Place". It was
Betsy Ten Boom, who would say that nothing is too deep that
God is not deeper still. The Ten Boom's were in deep, more
than we could ever imagine. Here they were in that Nazi
concentration camp being tortured for hiding and helping the
Jewish people. Betsy died in the camp, but Corrie, her sister
made it out. She survived and was victorious after her release.
Why? Her Spirit was instilled with the words, No deep is so deep
that He is not deeper still. It was those very words that gave
her the strength to forgive a German soldier years later. He
had played a part in her deep distress and torture.
Nothing is too Deep! Not the greatest offense! Not the
greatest sorrow! Not the greatest pain! Not the greatest
debt! Not the greatest multiplicity of life's problems
compounded, not the fiercest disease, not the most horrific
family problem, Nothing! Nothing is too deep for Him who is
DEEPER. Nothing can overshadow Him. He is the one who overshadows.
Theologians contribute Psalm 42 to the Sons of Korah. The
Sons of Korah were the temple musicians. They were writing to
the lonely and depressed. We can learn from them. They say in
verse 5 and echo again in verse 11 these powerful words.....
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you
disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise
Him." They got a hold of something, and God thought it
valuable enough to have it recorded for us. God is DEEPER than
my deep. He is my hope. I will call out to Him. My deep
distress will not keep me from praising Him. They walked in
The Spirit of God and not their flesh. They believed God.
They were saying, I am in deep, deep distress, but soul of
mine (mind, will, and emotions of mine) Hope in God.
So next time you are in the deep of things take these
temple musicians advice, praise Him, He is Deeper! He will
bring you out! Say to yourself, "ARISE " Take a
stand to hold on to He who is DEEPER still, and watch His
strong arm of deliverance bring you out.!!!
Debbie Fondren